CASD: 'Wait and see' in state budget game

CHAMBERSBURG - Local school board directors will hear a proposal Wednesday night by Chambersburg Area School District's business manager, Steven Dart, that they wait another month before deciding whether to borrow money to get the district through the rest of this school year.

The state has been operating with only a partial budget this fiscal year as the result of a budget impasse that has pitted Gov. Tom Wolf against the Republican-led legislature.

The legislature sent Wolf another budget last week, but it is unclear yet whether Wolf will veto it, and if he does, whether Democrats -- who currently are in a minority in the legislature -- will join Republicans in overriding that veto.

The 10-day window for Wolf to sign or veto the budget legislation ends March 28.

Dart, who has been warning CASD's school board that if the budget impasse doesn't end soon the district will have to start borrowing money to continue to meet payroll, said in a note that is part of Wednesday night's board agenda, that the district's immediate concern about the need to borrow will come to an end if the impasse is ended, either with Wolf's signature to the new budget or the legislature's override if Wolf does veto the legislation.

His agenda item notes that if the budget is vetoed and the impasse continues because the Republican-led legislature can't get enough votes to override that veto, the board can still make the decision next month to borrow.

"With a final 2015-2016 Commonwealth Budget potentially in sight, although certainly not guaranteed, the administration desires to avoid the up-front loan origination expenses necessary to prepare such a resolution," Dart said in his note that is included as an attachment to the agenda.